What is wrong with me?

[jason_sioco]

I want to make music like this...

Rock on! and this...

I end up making this...

Yuck! and this...

Is there something wrong with me? What can I do to write songs like my faves.

[briansaddleback]

Keep working at it. That is all we can do.

[adodd81802]

.

[jason_sioco]

I am going to assume two things from your videos.

1st - You don't have piano lessons
2nd - You don't have singing lessons

Honest truth - You need both.

10/10 effort and putting yourself on the internet open to a wave of harsh lies, jokes and criticisms.

I hope not to offend with my comments, but I base them upon the following:

You look uncomfortable at the piano - the composition itself is very basic and needs improving

Singing and playing at the same time is hard at any level so bravo for that however,

You appear to be focusing more on the playing because that's what you're worried about getting right as you have memorized your words... we can all talk and sing without thinking, but our quality of singing still needs concentration, I feel at this stage all your concentration is on getting the piano right and not on your voice.

What can you do to write songs like your favs?

First, you should probably put down the piano and pick up the guitar, that is one first flaw

Next you should make more up-beat pieces, your songs sounded slow and depressing, which is fine if that's your aim, but the Beatles were far from apart from a couple exceptions.

Failing that you can always create songs for other people to sing, if that's not your strength, or just focus on either singing or playing.

*It's true I don't have any form of vocal training, I started singing on my own learning a chord progression of a song and singing the melody over it. I do sing everyday. I want to take lessons, but can't find good vocal teachers in my area right now.

*The following two videos of me playing piano was made months ago prior to me having jazz piano lessons. I have three lessons of jazz piano under my belt with a good teacher for almost a month now. If I was a GM of a sports franchise team, I felt that I just made a good move or a great trade to get this type of piano teacher. I expect my piano playing will improve in many months from now.

*I was once affiliated with Royal Conservatory Music graded system on the piano. I hated that system and didn't like practicing. It was requirement in my school to take RCM and I hated it so badly. I basically forgot all of the pieces I've learned. That's why I am taking jazz piano lessons right now.

*I can also play guitar and I have a plan for it. The same way I got my jazz piano lessons.

*When I first made the 2 songs, I made the melody first. It started out as upbeat. When I added chords, due to my limitations during that time, I ended up playing something slow, but who am I kidding?!, I don't like what I composed and I heard much better music than that.

[jason_sioco]

I am going to assume two things from your videos.

1st - You don't have piano lessons
2nd - You don't have singing lessons

Honest truth - You need both.

10/10 effort and putting yourself on the internet open to a wave of harsh lies, jokes and criticisms.

I hope not to offend with my comments, but I base them upon the following:

You look uncomfortable at the piano - the composition itself is very basic and needs improving

Singing and playing at the same time is hard at any level so bravo for that however,

You appear to be focusing more on the playing because that's what you're worried about getting right as you have memorized your words... we can all talk and sing without thinking, but our quality of singing still needs concentration, I feel at this stage all your concentration is on getting the piano right and not on your voice.

What can you do to write songs like your favs?

First, you should probably put down the piano and pick up the guitar, that is one first flaw

Next you should make more up-beat pieces, your songs sounded slow and depressing, which is fine if that's your aim, but the Beatles were far from apart from a couple exceptions.

Failing that you can always create songs for other people to sing, if that's not your strength, or just focus on either singing or playing.

*That is just me. I spent years playing stuff that I didn't like. I was accustomed to the Royal Conservatory grading system where I have to be perfect or else I don't improve to the next grade.

[quantum]

*I was once affiliated with Royal Conservatory Music graded system on the piano. I hated that system and didn't like practicing. It was requirement in my school to take RCM and I hated it so badly. I basically forgot all of the pieces I've learned. That's why I am taking jazz piano lessons right now.

. 

I was accustomed to the Royal Conservatory grading system where I have to be perfect or else I don't improve to the next grade.

It is unfortunate that the RCM system gave you these impressions.  Maybe it was a case of student/teacher mismatch.  You certainly don't need to be perfect to move on to the next RCM grade, but if that's what you were taught I can see what you are getting at.

However, don't let the switch in genre fool you into thinking things are easier on the other side.  Becoming better at music, no matter which genre you choose, takes time, dedication, willingness toward skill development and a solid work ethic.  It will not happen over night.  A casual work ethic won't do much accelerate your learning, but if you remain dedicated you will progress. The reward comes to those that persist in the struggle to learn.  Just keep on singing, playing and learning. 

If you feel like you are not making the quality of music you want, use that as an initiative to make the necessary improvements.  Keep on making music.  The more you play and sing the more you will learn from your experiences. 

[jason_sioco]

My question is not really answered. I spend a lot of time listening to my faves and yet the music that I compose sounds way different than what I am listening to.

[pjjslp]

My question is not really answered. I spend a lot of time listening to my faves and yet the music that I compose sounds way different than what I am listening to.

With all due respect, lots of songwriters would probably love to be Lennon and McCartney, but none are. They both had incredible gifts. Listening to nothing but Beatles music won't make you John Lennon any more than listening to Chopin will allow me to compose like him. I think you've gotten some good advice here. Keep making music, take lessons, make recordings, take and apply constructive criticism. I think you may have the start of some good stuff but it is lacking complexity. It sounds like you've taken a good step in getting the right teacher. Maybe your teacher knows of someone who could work with you on composition? Best wishes!

[briansaddleback]

My question is not really answered. I spend a lot of time listening to my faves and yet the music that I compose sounds way different than what I am listening to.

Ok I ll just come out plainly I was trying to be nice earlier.

Either you're trying to troll in that case you're wasting your time bc people here don't really care about whatever you got planned up your sleeves.  We will answer for face value but if you keep asking and refusing to listen no one will give you any credibility and you are just wasting your own time. I mean , we all are doing something constructive , we visit here when we can, read , post, then we go off doing constructive things continually.


But if you are sincere about this.. Well sorry to say , you have ton of things wrong w you.

Most importantly is you have NO work ethic
 
Go practice hard a few months or years listen to good advice go do things constructive like most of us here do ( not daydreaming or wishing , doing things actually doing things practicing trying contemplating working researching learning etc)

Do all that and then if you still have a problem we can have some grounding or a point we can work off of to help.


Agree ?
Thank you

[jason_sioco]

Ok I ll just come out plainly I was trying to be nice earlier.

Either you're trying to troll in that case you're wasting your time bc people here don't really care about whatever you got planned up your sleeves.  


But if you are sincere about this.. Well sorry to say , you have ton of things wrong w you.

Most importantly is you have NO work ethic
 

Agree ?
Thank you

I will be 3rd year in University this coming September. If I don't have work ethic, I would hand in my assignments and essays after the deadline and I would flunk in my exams. But you are not talking about academics, you are talking about my lazy practice schedule.

In music, I have dedication, motivation, commitment, and inspiration by default. What I lack is guidance, direction, structure, foundation, instruction, and artistic interpretation. If I have any of those, I would play my original composition on the piano a different way.

I spent years playing stuff that I didn't like. Anything played on a music sheet, I didn't find useful at all. I have seen wonderful keyboardists over the years who were playing whatever they like on the piano without any music sheet. No one taught me to play in a certain style or any kind of musicality.

Today, I finally found a teacher who teaches me chord voicings on the piano, lets me transcribe in my music practice and lets me play something fun.

The first video is the standard that I've learned in my first week. It's kinda basic. I actually transcribed an improvisation of the piece with my teacher playing the solo, but I am still figuring out the accompaniment.

The second video is not really minecraft. I figured out that it's a really lesser known jazz standard and no one will search it up on Youtube. I learned it during my second lesson.

I have three standards that I've learned. The third song I am still practicing it, but it is way better than the previous two.

[Petter]

Theres nothing wrong with you. We all want to sound this or that way, and we don't, so just deal with it.
 I think your last recording shows promise. My opinion is that you should work on your rhythm and play those pieces in time with a steady pulse.
 Try to hook up with people and play music together. Both the Oasis and The Beatles sounded good as a BAND. Paul McCartneys stuff after the Beatles is nowhere as good as what he made with The Beatles. And Liam Gallagher is just pathetic without his brother...

[jason_sioco]

I think your last recording shows promise. My opinion is that you should work on your rhythm and play those pieces in time with a steady pulse.
 

The last recording is played rubato.

[jason_sioco]

Lots of people have said in this thread that I will never be like my faves, because I am not them. Yet I have seen everyday musicians and composers, who are not famous make melodies/improvisation/soloing that sounds legit. It's just that they chose not to be famous. Their musical vocab is off the roof. What about that?

[adodd81802]

.

[quantum]

I spend a lot of time listening to my faves and yet the music that I compose sounds way different than what I am listening to.

Have you asked yourself: what is it about the music that I like?  Just saying you like it and calling it a day won't suffice in this situation.  If you aspire to create certain things in music you need to be able to articulate what they are.  Saying you like it and trying to hack away at the instrument in search of that mystical "it" would be a rather haphazard way of improving. 

You need to ask yourself: what exactly is it that you like about your favorite music.  Is it the chord progressions, melodic contour, lyrics, rhythm, chord voicing, texture, modality, etc.  Can you isolate those things you like out of the music and examine them.  Can you take these elements and apply them to another song.  Maybe you can write a song that specifically focuses on these things.  Can you visualize the song with those favorite items absent.  Can you rewrite the song to include elements you do not like. 

Similarly, you need to analyze music you do not like.  It is not good enough to say you don't like something.  You need to understand why, and what is it about the music that creates that situation.  Can you rewrite piece you do not like, and make it into one that you do?  Do not dismiss music that you do not like, you need to be able to articulate what it is about the music that you do not like.  If you do this you will go a long way to improving your own compositions. 

I will be 3rd year in University this coming September. If I don't have work ethic, I would hand in my assignments and essays after the deadline and I would flunk in my exams. But you are not talking about academics, you are talking about my lazy practice schedule.

Work ethic is more than about meeting deadlines and presenting the finished project.  Work ethic is about the journey of completing a project: how you research, learn, problem solve, observe, test out theories, manage time, manage workflow, etc.  It is not just about handing in the project that will give you a pass, it is about handing in a project where you can say that because of your work you had personal growth, that you learned something along the way, that you gained a skill to make your next project even better.  Of course, all of this is applicable in music study. 


Not being satisfied with one's music making is part of the music journey.  It is fine, so long as it does not lead to debilitating depression.  It is clear you have the motivation, as putting recordings online for others to critique takes guts.  What you need is time to do some serious dedicated work and study.  You need to be methodical in your work and dig deep. 

[spenstar]

If you want to make music that is like popular music, just use the chords C, F, G, and A minor with different inversions and thats pretty much it. Most 'popular' music is extremely simple.

[cometear]

I haven't been here in awhile but for the type of music you want, I'd focus on improving your vocal skills. You need a vocal coach to do this!! Until you get a hold of a good instructor, you're not going to make much improvement. Best of luck!

[lostinidlewonder]

 I've heard worse but you still can't sing and I don't think training will really form that voice to anything notable, with your voice your either have it or not. There are plenty of song writers who don't sing and simply have others do the singing for them maybe you and others will get a better idea of your songs if sung in a more professional manner. If you enjoy the creative process it really doesn't matter how good you are, as soon as you stop comparing yourself with others you will probably enjoy it a lot more. Don't hold your breath to write like the greats just get on with your job, there is a differce between standing on the shoulders of giants and constantly comparing your work in their shadow.

[outin]

I've heard worse but you still can't sing and I don't think training will really form that voice to anything notable, with your voice your either have it or not.

It's not really matter of voice but technique and developing one's ear. There are singers with not much of a natural voice material that still are very popular. Jason has several problems with his singing that could be worked with, but it definitely would take some good teaching and a lot of practice. Starting from breathing...